Antarctic success

05 June 2009

At 180,000km2, the Prince Edward Islands region will become one of the biggest Marine Protected Areas in the world. It's an environmental achievement of global importance, which will help protect a suite of spectacular wildlife.

"South Africa plays a key role - along with countries such as Australia, France, UK and New Zealand - in protecting the amazing biodiversity and commercially important fisheries of the sub-Antarctic."

Located almost 2000km south of Cape Town, in the Southern Ocean, the islands are home to:

· 450,000 King penguins (and two other penguin species)
· 33% of the world's sub-Antarctic Fur Seals (and two other types of seal)
· 44% of all Wandering Albatrosses (and four more kinds of albatross)
· 14 species of petrel

The islands have been threatened by illegal and irresponsible fishing practices in the past - for instance vessels targeting Patagonian toothfish have often killed albatross as bycatch.